


Let Me Protect You

by FictionalNutter



Series: Tumblr Prompts [13]
Category: Supernatural
Genre: Gen, Gen or Pre-Slash, Hurt Sam Winchester, Hurt/Comfort, Implied/Referenced Torture, Lucifer's Cage, M/M, Protective Lucifer, Suspicious Sam
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-05-18
Updated: 2015-05-18
Packaged: 2018-03-31 03:58:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,074
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3963535
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FictionalNutter/pseuds/FictionalNutter
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Originally posted to Tumblr, based on a prompt from Anonymous about Lucifer comforting Sam inside the cage.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Let Me Protect You

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted [here](http://supernaturallyimagined.tumblr.com/post/119283481348/there-is-a-shortage-of-good-long-samifer-fics-in).
> 
> I'm always accepting prompts here, on FF, and on Tumblr!

 

Sam knew that it was about to get worse again. The cage may not have been designed with him in mind, but it seemed uncannily aware of his reactions to it. Whenever Sam managed to stop screaming and dull himself to his surroundings, everything would change and become so much worse than before.

Sam was steeling himself, waiting for the inevitable change, when he spotted the bright mass of light that meant Lucifer was approaching. He hadn’t seen the archangel in what felt like hundreds of years, but his sense of time was so off it may not have been that long at all. 

“Sam,” Lucifer greeted him, now looking like the vessel Sam had known him in. He seemed to assume Sam would find him more palatable in human form, rather than as the massive heavenly being he was.

“I thought we agreed you were going to leave me alone,” Sam bit out, not looking at Lucifer. He’d been shocked when Lucifer agreed, but he had a sneaking suspicion the archangel hadn’t gone far. Sam hadn’t seen Michael in a very long time, too long to measure. He suspected Lucifer had kept him away, though he wasn’t positive why.

“You are being foolish, Sam,” Lucifer sighed, as though Sam’s words were unreasonable. “Your screams echo throughout my prison, and I will not stand for it any longer. Let me protect you.”

Sam wanted to scorn the offer, to push the devil away, but what came out was an incredulous, “Why?”

Lucifer looked genuinely surprised by the question. “Because I do not wish to see you in pain, Sam.”

Sam didn’t believe that, except that he was certain he did. Lucifer hadn’t ever lied to him, he’d give the archangel that, but he certainly hadn’t seemed especially contentious of Sam’s pain on Earth. Although, perhaps that wasn’t entirely true. The most painful things Sam had endured because of Lucifer were either not directly the archangel’s fault or a result of his misunderstanding of humanity. Sam wasn’t sure where that left him, but he still was loathe to trust the archangel.

“Aren’t you mad at me?” Sam asked. Lucifer had been furious when they had first fallen, although now that Sam thought about it, Lucifer hadn’t actually taken any of that anger out on him.

“Of course,” Lucifer replied, sounding anything but angry. His tone was calm and pleasant. “I’m furious with you, Sam. That doesn’t mean I wish for you to suffer. The cage is my punishment, not yours, and I can protect you. Let me.”

“If you’re upset with me, why bother protecting me?” Sam demanded, still confused. His skin prickled, a warning of coming change. He would soon be screaming again.

“You were designed for me, Sam,” Lucifer said with immeasurable sadness in his tone. “There are no words in English to adequately express the degree to which I love you. I may be angry with you, but I don’t believe I could ever hurt you.”

Sam wasn’t sure what expression was on his face, but it was probably shock if his internal turmoil was anything to go by.

“You did what you thought was right to save the human race,” Lucifer pointed out, sounding resigned. “I cannot begrudge you that, Sam. I suppose, if anything, I am proud of you.”

Sam now knew for sure that his expression was shocked. “But you’re stuck in here again!” He blurted, too surprised to censor himself.”

“The cage does not harm me in quite the way it harms you,” Lucifer informed him. “It will adapt to you again soon. Let me protect you, Sam. I do not wish to see you in pain.”

A large part of Sam demanded he stand his ground and refuse the devil’s offer of help, but he could feel the encroaching torment from the cage, and there was really no reason to avoid the devil. Neither of them were ever leaving the cage, so what harm could it do for Sam to allow himself to accept Lucifer’s offer?

“All right,” Sam allowed. “You can protect me, I guess.”

In an instant, Lucifer had cocooned Sam in his grace, and a generic yet familiar feeling motel room appeared around them.

Sam gawked for a moment, feeling off balance, before he realized that even the dull pain was gone. He was dimly aware of the cage still, but only abstractly. He might have been on earth with a mild headache for all the affect it was having on him.

Lucifer stepped forward and held his hand out towards Sam. “We have an eternity together in this place,” he said quietly. “I would like to spend that time knowing you, not avoiding you.”

Sam didn’t reply for a moment, studying Lucifer’s offered hand speculatively. Reaching a decision, he moved forward and took Lucifer’s hand, nodding once in agreement. “Thank you,” he said, gesturing to the motel room. “How are you doing this?”

“I’m using my grace to manifest a sanctuary of familiarity for you,” Lucifer explained. “The cage is trying to reach you through me, and it will not succeed.”

“Doesn’t that hurt?” Sam asked, surprised.

Lucifer smiled. “As I said, Sam, the cage is my punishment, not yours.”

“Oh,” was all Sam could think of in response. He wasn’t sure if that meant Lucifer was in somehow worse pain than before, or if it didn’t affect him at all.

“I will protect you,” Lucifer promised, sincerity clear in his eyes.

“I’m sorry, that you have to be in here again,” Sam said hesitantly. “I’m not sorry I did it, but I’m sorry for forcing you back into this place.”

“I told you I understand, Sam, and I do. I’m working on letting go of my anger.” Lucifer smiled slightly, and tugged Sam towards the little table in the motel room. “Let’s take your mind off of things, shall we?”

Sam wasn’t sure forgetting the cage was possible, but he nodded in agreement anyway. “Do you have a deck of cards?”

Lucifer held up a deck that he’d likely just manifested, given he hadn’t been holding anything an instant before. “I’m afraid I don’t know how to use them,” he admitted.

“I’ll teach you,” Sam decided, taking the deck from Lucifer’s outstretched hand. It wasn’t a perfect situation, and was in fact fairly far from it, but somehow Sam found a tiny seed of hope in the way Lucifer was treating him. 


End file.
